US embassy cable - 05MANILA3391

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 003391 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/PMBS, INR/EAP, INR/B 
NSC FOR GREEN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/25/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, PINR, PREL, ASEC, RP 
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION FILES IMPEACHMENT CHARGES AGAINST ARROYO 
 
REF: A. OPS CENTER - MANILA 07/25/05 TELCON 
 
     B. MANILA 3367 
     C. MANILA 3326 
     D. MANILA 3319 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Timothy Cipullo for 
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
1.  (C) Summary:  The Opposition filed amended impeachment 
charges in the House of Representatives against President 
Arroyo early July 25.  The Opposition complaint charges that 
Arroyo betrayed public trust, violated the Constitution, and 
engaged in corrupt practices.  The impeachment complaint did 
not obtain the requisite number of endorsements needed to 
move the matter immediately to the Senate.  Instead, the 
House Committee of Justice will review it for up to 60 days. 
Malacanang has confirmed that last week it filed a response 
denying all charges in the original impeachment complaint 
filed against Arroyo.  The impeachment charges are complex 
and will take time for the House to digest.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (U) Forty members of the House of Representatives, led by 
opposition Congressmen Ronaldo Zamora and Francis Escudero, 
endorsed an amended impeachment complaint against President 
Arroyo early July 25.  The complaint is very detailed, and 
accuses Arroyo of "betrayal of public trust," "culpable 
violation" of the Constitution, and "bribery, graft and 
corrupt practices" during her tenure at Malacanang.  The 
complaint highlights alleged illegalities involved in 
President Arroyo's audio taped discussions with an election 
official in the aftermath of the May 2004 elections and 
allegations that members of her family engaged in jueteng 
profiteering.  The motion builds upon a complaint filed by 
private citizen Oliver Lozano just before the House of 
Representatives went into recess last month (see reftels). 
(Note:  With President Arroyo's State of the Nation Address 
late July 25, the House and Senate begin a new session.  End 
Note.) 
 
3.  (C) The Opposition fell short of garnering the 79 
signatures (1/3 of the members of the House) needed to send 
the complaint directly to the Senate.  Instead, it will be 
referred to the House Justice Committee, which will determine 
whether it is sufficient in form and substance.  The 
Committee has 60 session days to act on the complaint, after 
which the House will vote on whether to send the complaint to 
the Senate.  (Note:  If it is sent to the Senate, senators 
will serve as a jury reviewing the charges and then will vote 
on them.  End Note.)  Representative Zamora predicted to us 
early July 25 that the Opposition will have the necessary 79 
votes to send the complaint to the Senate by the time the 
House makes its ultimate decision on the matter.  Zamora also 
asserted to us that Malacanang has bribed members of the 
House not to support the impeachment complaint.  Malacanang 
contacts have asserted to us that they have the votes in the 
House to prevent a referral to the Senate and have denied 
that they have bribed anyone. 
 
4.  (U) Malacanang confirmed that on July 19 the President's 
legal counsel submitted anticipatory pleadings in response to 
the original impeachment complaint filed by Lozano.  The 
document denied the original charges.  Arroyo's press 
spokesman Ignacio Bunye characterized the decision to file 
the anticipatory pleadings as "a clear expression of 
(Arroyo's) willingness to submit to the legal process," but 
he noted that she will defend herself fully.  Opposition 
members, however, have labeled the move as a legal ploy to 
block further amendments to the original complaint, such as 
those filed on July 25. 
 
5.  (C) Comment:  The Opposition, which is constantly looking 
for ways to ramp up the pressure on Arroyo, clearly wanted to 
get the requisite number of signatures needed for an 
immediate impeachment referral to the Senate.  They were 
disappointed in that effort.  The Opposition, however, still 
has a chance to attain the needed figure, but the impeachment 
charges are complex and will take time for the House to 
digest.  By already filing a response to the initial 
complaint, Malacanang is signaling that it will fight the 
impeachment effort every step of the way. 
 
Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm 
 
You can also access this site through the State Department's 
Classified SIPRNET website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/ 
 
MUSSOMELI